The original thinking in hiring young British designer Marios Schwab at Halston and then creating Halston Heritage, helmed by Sarah Jessica Parker, seemed to be this: Place the still very commercially viable archive classics under SJP's watch, and leave Schwab room to develop a modern, original vision. That strategy appears to have changed somewhat. Today's presentation—Schwab's second effort for the house—tapped into all the drapey, languid signatures that come to mind when you think of Halston's seventies heyday.

Nevertheless, there is one major point of difference between the two labels: price. Heritage is a contemporary brand. Halston is not. You could feel that element of luxury in brushed gold hardware as well as in the little nuances in silhouette that are evidence of a trained designer's hand. Schwab also added the twist of a wild orchid motif. It was printed on a lovely strapless sequin dress that had the ease of a post-shower towel. "We wanted to overdress women for a very long time," the designer said. "And I think that's not what women want." Certainly this collection will fall into the category of what women will want, a testament both to Schwab's execution and his excellent, impossibly timeless source material. But considering the vast divide between this collection and his previous outing for the brand, it will be interesting to see where he goes next.